LOCAL T&T STEELBAND NEWS

FRONT   Page EVENTS 2000   Page

ACTION in the current World Steelband Music Festival shifts to the Queen's Park Savannah tonight, as the ensembles and small categories of the event have their final playoffs.

Among the groups that will show for the first time tonight is the Florida Memorial University (FMU) representatives, under the musical direction of Trinidadian Dr Dawn Batson, who are entered in all four categories being heard and whose troupe comprises locals currently studying at the university.

Also making their festival 2000 debut in the ensemble category will be Tipica, St Lucia's Piton Diamond Steel Orchestra, [Petrotrin Saparia] Deltones and Jamaica[n] Humming Birds Steel Orchestra. Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars has entered a quartet, as has Point Fortin New Creation and [UWI, Mona campus, Jamaica] Panoridim. They will meet competition from similarly comprised groups out of England's Ebony Steel Orchestra, Exodus, Parry's Pan School and FMU.

By the end of the evening, 13 soloists, seven quartets, four duets and eight ensembles will have [been expected to] perform[] for the judges.

Showtime is 8 pm

---

ENSEMBLES & MINOR CATEGORIES - FINALS
The Grand Stand, Queens Park Savannah, Port of Spain
Friday 20th October, 2000

On Web:
See PO for Play Order position

Ensembles - Finalists and Results
Quartets - Finalists and Results
Duets - Finalists and Results
Soloists - Finalists and Results

---

TOBAGO'S Dem Boys, the first of five Single Pan Bands to perform at the final for that category, has launched a protest over the conduct of the event and threatened legal action if the festival committee released results.

According to festival logistics co-ordinator, Vernon Morancie, Dem Boys is claiming that none of the published rules demanded that they produce scores of their work for the judges and were therefore at an adjudication disadvantage, when the band was heard.

Morancie said however, that the supply of a lead score for the calypso of choice and a full score for the classical selection was normal for competitions like the music festival.

  "They are claiming that because the rules did not say they have to supply score sheets, that they should not be at a disadvantage for not bringing theirs," Morancie said, adding that he found the basis of their protest curious, since the band had called him earlier in the day, enquiring about the very matter.
  "How come all the other bands brought their scores?" Morancie asked. "Dem Boys brought their scores for the 1998 festival and that is leading some people to believe that this protest is strange."
  "They have threatened to take legal action if the scores are released before the matter is addressed," he said. "We are simply being precautionary at this time."

---

Single Pan Bands - FINALS
Jean Pierre Complex, Wrightson Road, Woodbrook, Port of Spain

On Web:
See PO for Play Order position

Single Pan Bands Finals-1 - Tuesday October 17th - 2000
Single Pan Bands Finals-2 - Wednesday October 18th - 2000
Single Pan Bands - Final Combined Results

---

PANNISTS from Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago gathered at the Cascadia Hotel recently at a reception to herald the start of the World Steelband Music Festival 2000.

As a result of Pan Trinbago's promotional campaign** in a number of countries, pannists from around the world have come to TT ready to demonstrate their own approaches to pan, as well as to learn as much as they can.

[** WHAT PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN ?*!*?*!*? - eEd]

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
PANAMA'S Ambassador Vasco del Mar Huerta (left), Learie Rousseau, special assistant to Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (centre), and Ambassador Ivan Ogando from the Dominican Republic.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
DR Finbar Fletcher (left), Zena Moore executive assistant at Pan Trinbago (centre) and Keith St Cry [Temp acting] assistant secretary of Pan Trinbago.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
PROFESSOR Eugene Novotney (left) chats with Jenny Lee co-ordinator of Pan European.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
NAR political leader Anthony Smart (right) chats with vice-chairman of the World Steelband Music Festival Committee Keith Subero.

---

PHOTOS By SEAN NERO

---

SECOND in order of merit at the end of the semi-final round, the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Steel Orchestra has drawn position one for tomorrow night's [Orchestra] grand final of the World Steelband Music Festival.

The festival, which opened on October 12th, after rain scuttled the planned curtain raiser on the previous night, continued through the semi-final round on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for orchestras, which also accommodated the final of the Single Pan Band category.

The draw for tomorrow night's playing positions, which took place yesterday morning at the Cascadia Hotel offices of the festival, placed Exodus in the final slot and early leader Panch 2000 in the middle of the evening.

The Festival committee has advised that no private video-taping of the grand final will be allowed. Only accredited media will be allowed to capture the event on videotape.

Tomorrow's order of appearance: [ Not shown here. ]

---

ORCHESTRA or STEELBAND - FINALISTS
8 Bands qualify for the Finals on Saturday 21st October, 2000
Jean Pierre Complex, Wrightson Road, Woodbrook, Port of Spain

On Web:
See SFO for Semi-Finals Play Order position
See FPO for Finals Play Order position

Orchestras or Steelbands Finalists - Combined Results - Semi Finals
Orchestras or Steelbands Finalists - Final Results

---

---

Photo: [Not shown here: Members of NIU out front playing African drums and the Ugandan amadinda.]
Caption:
PERFORMING their own composition Wood and Steel members of the Northern Illinois University, USA, play an amadinda from the Baganda tribe in Uganda during the semi-final of the World Steelband Music Festival 2000 at the Jean Pierre Complex early yesterday morning.
PHOTO By ROBERTO CODALLO

---

TOMORROW NIGHT's grand final of the World Steelband Music Festival suddenly offers an enhanced level of excitement, with new standings in the orchestra category showing a dramatic change from that which obtained at the end of the preliminary round.

After this week's semi-final which, like the first tier was split over two nights, the TCL Group Skiffle Bunch has run ahead of the competition, leading its nearest threat, the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Steel Orchestra by some 20 points.

PANch 2000, the Swiss band that created an early stir at the preliminaries, trouncing the 16 other orchestras and leading second-placed Exodus by a massive 18 point distance, has now fallen back to fourth place.

In the reshuffle, Exodus, playing Pelham Goddard's arrangement of André Tanker's Steelband Times and Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italian (under the baton of Desmond Waithe), slipped to seventh of the eight bands vying for the title of Best Steel Orchestra in the World and a US$22,500 cash prize.

The controversial test-piece, Dawn of the New Millennium by Rudy Wells, originally programmed for performance at the preliminary and semi-final stages was eliminated form the second level by consensus. Its omission did more than reduce audience weariness that came about at the prelims, both nights of which stretched to 3 am.

The absence of the test-piece also reduced stress occasioned by the composition itself, which had been described in unflattering terms by visiting and local musicians alike. Bands whose major strengths came from execution of the test-piece, were, however, reverted to level ground.

Consequent repositioning showed up from the first night of the semis, when Invaders upset group leader Exodus, with a splendid performance of Dvorak's Carnival Overture and Len Boogsie Sharpe's arrangement of Kitchener's Toco Band.

Working under the musical direction of Professor Jeannine Remy, the Woodbrook band delivered a distinctly superior performance to that which it offered at last week's preliminaries; coming closer to its dream of winning the championship for its founder Ellie Mannette, who arrives home today after a 33-year absence.

Skiffle Bunch played a similar trick on its semi-final grouping on Wednesday night, coming away with the stunning lead for its rendition of Ken Professor Philmore's Pan by Storm and Boogsie's Rain Forest, under the vigorous direction of Ben Jackson.

But among Wednesday night's performers, Northern Illinois University Steel Orchestra's interpretation of Robert Chapell's Wood and Steel again brought the small audience to its legs. Their inclusion of the Ugandan amadinda (an [African] instrument [] [similar to and pre-dating] the xylophone) and a rhythm section that incorporated jimbe drum and congas in an intricate interlude, continues to mesmerise.

So, as we come to the crunch, four foreign orchestras are in tomorrow night's eight-band final, which takes place at the Jean Pierre Complex in Port of Spain.

Along with PANch; and NIU; England's Ebony, whose interpretation of Franz von Suppe's Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna and Annise Hadeed's arrangement of Hollis Wright's Celebrating with Steel earned the band rich applause at both stages of the contest; and Sweden's [Finland's] Steel Pan Lovers are carrying the foreign flags.

Ari Viitanen's arrangements and conducting of Kitchener's Pan in A Minor and Jean Sibelius' Finlandia, and the execution of those works by Steel Pan Lovers, has been a hit with the festival's audiences. The smallest band in the final, Steel Pan Lovers hopes to take a leap upward from the cellar position when tomorrow night's scores are tallied.

The Defence Force Orchestra under the baton of Deryck Nurse, is also one to watch. Their interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 4 – The Finale seems to want for nothing. The work on Kitchener's Penny – Queen of the Universe appears equally complete.

It therefore boils down to the care with which each band delivers its work tomorrow night and how the judges, American Dr Eugene Novotney, Trinidadian Dr Ann Marion Obsborne and Englishman Richard Murphy assess those efforts.

Showtime is 8 pm.

The Standings [ Not shown here. ]

---

ORCHESTRA or STEELBAND - FINALISTS
8 Bands qualify for the Finals on Saturday 21st October, 2000
Jean Pierre Complex, Wrightson Road, Woodbrook, Port of Spain

On Web:
See SFO for Semi-Finals Play Order position
See FPO for Finals Play Order position

Orchestras or Steelbands Finalists - Combined Results - Semi Finals
Orchestras or Steelbands Finalists - Final Results

---

---

Photo (top ½ page): [Shown above: © EXPRESS Spotlight on Entertainment]
Caption:
Northern Illinois University Steel Orchestra.
PHOTO By ROBERTO CODALLO

---

---

Photo: [Not shown here: Two front-line tenor players.]
Caption:
SKIFFLE BUNCH.
PHOTO By ROBERTO CODALLO

---

[If only we had known beforehand! - eEd]

---

Photo: [Not shown here: Two tenor players and some on-lookers.]
Caption:
Fascinating sounds
MEMBERS of Golden Grove Prison Fascinators Steel Orchestra perform at National Public Service Week Open House on the Brian Lara Promenade yesterday. [Thursday 19th October, 2000]
PHOTO By ROBERTO CODALLO

---

AFTER 33 years abroad, during which time he further distinguished himself as one of the prime movers in the development and global appreciation of steelpan music, Elliot Ellie Mannette returns home today and in spectacular glory.

Mannette, 74, who has been involved with the steelpan since the 1930's, was invited home primarily to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies (UWI) at St Augustine, the first pannist to be accorded such an honour.

He holds the distinction of being the reference position on the early development of the instrument and its emergence as a musical medium of integrity.

Over the more than six decades of his involvement, Mannette's unparalleled odyssey has earned him global recognition as pioneer, innovator and master craftsman of the steelpan orchestra's major components.

Born in the rural village of San Souci, Trinidad, Mannette grew up in the vibrant folk community of Woodbrook.

His pan saga began in 1937 when, at the age of 11, he aligned himself with the yet fledgling instrument. Three years later, he helped organise a group of like minds into The Oval Boys. The band soon evolved into what is now the legendary Invaders Steel Orchestra.

In 1946, he revolutionised the approach to tuning steelpans, by sinking the hitherto convex playing surface of the 55-gallon drums from which they are still created into today's concave shape, which allowed for far more convenient geometry in performance. This initiative opened the door to creation of a larger family of instruments.

Mannette is credited with the invention of several of the musical voices in the steelpan orchestra, most notably the double-seconds and cellos and the innovation of attaching rubber to the impact point of the sticks with which the instruments are played.

In 1951, he was commissioned to build and tune the major instruments of the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) for an historic tour of Britain's Festival of the Arts. That journey also took pan to Europe and is acknowledged as the first vehicle that introduced orchestrated steelpan music to the world.

Mannette was also a member of that pioneering 12-man band.

When he migrated to the United States in 1967, it was in pursuance of a more fulfilling life, which included a dream of teaching pan through the school system, an initiative that in his native land had led to strained relations with government authorities.

On arrival there, he discovered a greater willingness to involve youth in steelband programmes and travelled extensively, building and tuning pans and promoting the art of playing the instrument.

As a direct result of that drive, Mannette's programmes were introduced across North America.

He had, meanwhile, ushered the instrument to a number of communities and individuals, including world famous jazz musicians Jimmy Baffett and Andy Narell.

From an administrative level, he still services more than 200 public school, university, community and private orchestras and is credited with improving the integrity of the instrument to the point of having influential universities view the study of pan as an integral part of any well-rounded percussion degree.

Recognition of his work in that area was first rewarded at the tertiary level in 1992, when then director of percussion Phil Faini brought him onboard at West Virginia University (WVU) as artist-in-residence with the World Music Performance Centre; where he began an apprenticeship training programme.

He is now also an adjunct professor in the College of Music at WVU; where he teaches all aspects of steelpan, including tuning and construction courses.

As an artisan, Mannette already an acclaimed virtuoso, enjoys the reverence of having his pans on display at many of the world's finest museums, including the Smithsonian Museum, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Contemporary Art Gallery.

Last year, he received from President Bill Clinton a US Endowment for the Arts Award, for his work in the furtherance of indigenous culture.

In an unprecedented move, WVU partnered the university's research centre with Mannette as a private individual, to form a corporation known as Mannette's Steel Drums; to build and distribute steelpan instruments and related accessories world-wide.

Mannette has modestly and repeatedly said all of his work is for the instrument. He has spared no effort to salute the contribution of other innovators, most notably Bertie Marshall and has spent much of his time in charitable pursuits.

On October 28, he will receive an honorary doctorate at UWI's St Augustine campus and dine with university officials. It is the centre piece of a 12-day visit that includes scheduled talks with the university on the setting up of a technical exchange programme.

---

Photo: [ Shown above: © EXPRESS ]
Caption:
ELLIE MANNETTE
PHOTO By [Un-attributed]

---

SOME OF the world's foremost authorities in the field of pan making, Physics and civil engineering met for the first time at the Crowne Plaza, Hotel for the launch of the first International Conference on the Science and Technology of the Steelpan (ICSTS). The three-day conference took place from October 16th -18th at the hotel, and was intended to explore the mechanics of the steelpan – the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago - from a scientific prospective.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
RICHARD SHERMAN, consultant at the United States Embassy (left), his wife Andrea (centre) who is CLO at the US Embassy and Dr Derek Gay of the Department of Physics at the UWI, St Augustine.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
KEITH BYER vice-president of Pan Trinbago (right), chats with Eugene Joseph (centre) and Hazel Ifill, both officers at the Ministry of Culture and Gender Affairs.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
CHAIRMAN OF the ICSTS Dr Anthony Achong (right) has the attention of Culture Minister Dr Daphne Phillips Gaskin and her husband.

---

Photo: [Not shown here: Trim in bow-tie, Yohan Popwell performs on the double seconds(?)]
Caption:
Pannist - Arranger Yohan Popwell entertains this gathering

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
CHAIRMAN OF the ICSTS Dr Anthony Achong (left), chats with Dr Uwe J Hansen, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Indiana State University.

---

Photo: [Not shown here]
Caption:
DR CLEMENT IMBERT, Secretary, Steelpan Development Centre, Faculty of Engineering UWI (left), and Dr Rhona Reddock Deputy Chairman, NIHERST.

---

PHOTOS By SEAN NERO

---

TUESDAY WAS the second day of the NIHERST sponsored International Conference on the Science and Technology of the Steelpan and very evident in the audience were young secondary school students and notably absent, our pannists and tuners.

The conference is historic as it is the first of its kind and furthermore, we also had the good fortune of it being held in Trinidad, the birthplace of the instrument. It was an excellent opportunity to meet with researchers, to share knowledge and establish good contacts if one is serious enough, so that we keep abreast of the information gained from those who work in a more technologically advanced environment than we do. What was evident was that we can not claim to produce the best steelpans nor do we employ the most efficient methods either.

One of the topics discussed was Hardening of Steel by Nitriding which was ably presented by the team of Sabina Scharer and Felix Rohner of PANArt Limited, from Bern, Switzerland, at the afternoon session at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Scharer, the main presenter told her audience that for more than eight years, gas nitriding has been used in Switzerland to make a better quality steel pan. The technique improves the wear resistance, fatigue strength and corrosion resistance of the steel pan and for this reason, they have been able to produce pans with much better stability due to the high tensile strength and yield point.

Just what is this technique that is relatively unknown outside of the scientific community. Gas Nitriding is a thermochemical process where the surface steel is enriched with nitrogen says Scharer. The pan is treated at a temperature of between 500 degrees and 590 degrees in a medium which emits nitrogen.

It is the same technique used in manufacturing special tools and elements of machines and cars to attain special hardness.

Locally, tuners have used an open fire process for "burning" the pans in a back yard as part of the preparation of the pan and have done this for decades. Many may not be aware but this is a form of nitriding but the heat requirements are not controlled in terms of temperature neither is the duration scientifically determined.

This basic knowledge by local tuners has been passed on by their predecessors for decades but the Swiss have taken this several steps further. In applying their knowledge of metallurgy and the laws of physics, they have researched and developed a more advanced product and have come prepared to share that knowledge. Immediately, one realises that there is no room for guesswork neither can we continue to pursue building pans without employing quantitative data. It is only then we can say with confidence that we have achieved standardisation of the pan.

The Swiss have told us that the steel used in making the pan is deep-drawn and the pans sunk before they are nitrided in an oven with current ammonia gas the pans are slowly heated to specific temperatures. The ammonia gas is split up under catalytic interaction on the glowing surface into atomic nitrogen and atomic hydrogen. The atomic hydrogen penetrates the surface altering the characteristics of the metal.

Nitriding is also an artificial ageing process and lasts from seven to 12 hours after which the oven is slowly cooled down.

The nitrided steel now has a new structure, a hard compound layer on both sides and is not anymore metallic. It is considered a new material containing a hard surface and a hard core and due to this change is protected from corrosion.

The Swiss also tell us that because the material is strong, the tuner has more liberty to tune because the pan now has several qualities, it is hard but it is also soft, it is brittle yet ductile, characteristics that do justice of the complexity of the instrument.

What they held back, even though panmen no longer "pelt bottle and stone" is that the music on their pans would be sweeter.

---

Photo: [Not shown here: Felix Rohner holding a (tenor sized) steel drum instrument over his head.]
Caption:
FELIX ROHNER demonstrates one of the nitrided pans.
PHOTO By BERT ALLETTE

---

THE EDITOR: This is an open letter to Pan Trinbago with respect to its upcoming convention at the end of October.

Recently, nominations were held for all offices at the national executive level. As a concerned pannist, I await the announcement of the candidates who will be contesting the various positions on the executive which, I believe, should be placed in the print media for all members to see.

At this convention, I hope that the delegates will be given a proper financial report of the organisation's accounts and not just semantics.

One area of concern is the elections to be held during the convention. I believe that the elections rules should be circulated to all member bands (financial) and the committee responsible for conducting the exercise so that the delegates attending would be well aware of the persons whom they have to raise issues with. It is important that these areas be addressed to avoid any misconceptions that members would have about the system, as has happened in the past.

Another issue is the manner in which the convention is conducted. When serious issues are raised there is always some excuse by the executive that the venue was rented for a few hours and we have to end now and continuing at another date.

So please, Mr President, make sure that whatever venue is booked that it is for the entire day so pannists would be able to deal with the items on the agenda to the fullest.

I would also like to suggest that all outgoing executive officers give an account of their stewardship so members could access their performance.

If this is not done members could end up with a lot of waste material, as happened in the last term. For example, the public relations department was non-functional, nothing was promoted that pannist could speak about.

Delegates should not let friendship get in the way. Pan Trinbago is a million-dollar organisation and it should be run in a professional manner.

So, I urge delegates, when you cast your ballot, don't just close your eyes and vote, look at the candidates carefully and judge whom you feel could really carry the organisation to the level it should have reached over 10 years ago.

Clifton James
Trincity

WRITE TO:
TRINIDAD EXPRESS, 4 Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad
express@trinidadexpress.com
http://www.trinidadexpress.com

© 2000: tobagojo@trinidad.net - 20001111 Last Update: 23 November 2000 00:00:00 Processed by: Jeremy G de Barry

FRONT   Page EVENTS 2000   Page